When on a job interview, it's usually safest to follow the lead of your host. On interviews, the interviewer is often sussing out if the candidate is a "fit" for the job. You want to show that you will fit in well with the established culture of the company.

And an easy way to develop quick rapport is to mirror the other person. People tend to trust people who are similar to themselves. If you act like they do, it puts them at ease. And when people are comfortable, the conversation will run more smoothly.

So, if your host orders a 3 course meal with dessert and coffee afterwards, it's safe to order the same. If they order an appetizer, order one too. You want to be eating, or at least appear to be, when they are eating. It's often awkward to be eating while the other person is not.

Similarly, even if you are starving and they only order a salad, stick with something lighter. You don't want to be too focused on finishing your meal when they are done with theirs, and are focused only on asking you questions. Now is not the time to order the most expensive item on the menu, if they are only ordering the soup.

I'm a vegetarian, so I'm not about to order a steak just because my interviewer is. However, if they order the steak, I'll try to order something more substantial.

Interviewers may suggest an interview out of the office, to catch you with your guard down. Remember this is an interview. Eat a bit before hand, so you can focus on answering the questions, and not on the food. And don't come to the interview with a growling stomach. Eat slowly. Don't talk with your mouth full of food.

It gets tricky if your host orders an alcoholic drink. In college, a friend of mine made a disastrous, and hilarious, mistake. He was on the final round with a fancy firm, for a prestigious position. A partner of the firm invited him to lunch. The interviewer order an Arnold Palmer, which is an iced-tea and lemonade mix. My friend, mistakenly thought it was an alcoholic drink, similar to a Long-Island ice-tea. He wanted to show that he was mature and could hang with the crowd. He ordered a gin and tonic.

The host kept getting refills of his Arnold Palmer, which is pretty typical with ice tea. And so my friend kept getting refills of his gin and tonic, which is not so typical. He got really drunk at lunch, and couldn’t drive himself home. The interviewer had to call him a cab. He did not get the offer.

So, if your host orders an alcoholic drink, it’s probably safest not to, and say you have to drive. If it's a happy hour interview, stick to just ordering one, and only drink less than half.

Assuming you are a talented person with options, you should always do what you'd do normally. Essentially, you should be yourself.

Your success will come from a job that fits you -- that means it needs to fit your personality. You actually really want companies to not give you an offer for culture reasons. Getting a "no" in an interview for culture reasons means there is a high likelihood you are not right for that company. And that is better to know while you are interviewing than after you start. It is not fun to find out you don't like your job.

The worst thing you can do is fool a company into giving you an offer. Once you get the offer you'll have no idea whether to take it or not because you will not know if they think you fit the culture. That means you should be open about your flaws and not try to hide your likes and dislikes.

By the way, being yourself (not pretending to be someone else) is a good strategy in life (not just in hiring). In dating, you don't want the other person to fall in love with someone you are pretending to be. So like interviewing, you should be open about your flaws in dating (as your mate will eventually find out about them). Much better to weed people out early than to end a relationship in divorce.

I treat interview meals like I would a first date.

Never order anything that would potentially impact your ability to make a positive impression, affects your composure or impacts your ability to place emphasis on the conversation and the person you're eating with.

Avoid anything that requires the use of your hands, especially anything with sauces and/or things that drip. It's hard to look professional when your face or hands are covered in sauce. You also don't want to shake hands with your interviewer later and have it covered in grease.

Sauces also have an unfortunate way of getting on you when you least want it. You especially don't want to finish your interview with a big stain on your shirt.

Avoid strong smelling foods like garlic, raw onions and so on.

Don't order anything too demanding to eat. Don't order food you might have to fight with or might cause a reaction with you. For example, never order anything spicy. It's hard to stay composed and hold a conversation when you're sweating and your tongue is on fire. Same for foods that are sticky or really chewy.

Do order roughly the same amount of food as your interviewer. You don't want to be eating when he wants to talk and vice versa. So order the same number of courses.

Pick something safe, middle of the road and that you can eat quietly and easily. Enjoyment of the food is secondary, after all. You're not there to dazzle them with your fine taste in food or take advantage of the free meal. Put the interview and interviewer first.

Food - I've been reading through a number of the answers and I'm surprised by the number of people who recommend soup and/or a salad for an interview meal.

NEVER, EVER order soup or salad. They are messy, difficult to eat correctly (per etiquette), and difficult to eat quietly. In particular NEVER order French Onion soup or Caesar salad. French Onion Soup is messy and very tricky to eat without slurping, Caesar salads tend to have larger pieces of salad that you'll have to shove in your mouth. You could cut it up, but most people never do this and you'll forget.

My father is Italian and he owned Italian restaurants all my life. I know how to eat pasta. NEVER order spaghetti, fettuccini, or any long pasta. They are messy to eat for even the most accomplished eater. As noted in other answers, be careful with pastas with thinner sauces.

Try to order something you've eaten before and are familiar with. Now is not the time to order escargot, lobster, crab, shellfish, asparagus, or other foods notable for their difficulty to eat correctly.

This is particular to me and my background, if you order a seafood pasta/risotto dish. DO NOT ask for cheese.

It's been said elsewhere, but season nothing without tasting first.

Drinking - If at all possible, defined as anyone at the table not drinking, avoid alcohol.

If you must drink, order only one and nuuuuurse it as long as possible. Avoid daiquiris, pina coladas, margaritas, or anything that typically comes with an umbrella.

You can never go wrong with a glass of red or white wine, or a scotch(neat), other straight liquors are more eyebrow raising. Ordering a glass of gin or vodka will be noticed. The advantages to drinking a non-mixed drink is that you'll know EXACTLY how much you've had to drink.

Ordering straight liquor on the rocks can go two ways: 1) a light pour with lots of ice waters down the drink and allows you to nurse the drink longer (ideal) OR 2) A heavy pour that fills the glass and gets you hammered with the ice disguising how much liquor is in the glass (far from ideal).

To maintain an understanding of how much you're drinking, don't let the waiter refill your glass of wine, simply raising your hand to the glass is sufficient signal for a waiter to stop pouring.

Staff - ALWAYS say please and thank you to the staff for EVERYTHING. If the busboy fills your water glass, say thank you. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Treat the staff with respect and as equals, this torpedoes a LOT of people.

Treat them as you would treat a receptionist or secretary at the office. In my opinion, these people should be treated even BETTER than the person who is interviewing you.

No ordering off the menu, no sauces on the side, no special requests. Keep it simple.

Manners - Know which fork to use. Remember BMW, Bread - Meal - Water. Your bread dish is to the left, your water/wine glass to the right. Phone should be silent (preferably off) and remain in your pocket. Napkin in your lap. Wait for everyone to be served before eating, unless someone says "Go ahead eat". Even then, wait for someone else to start. If someone comes to the table who knows the people you're with, wait for an introduction and STAND to shake their hand if offered. Take small bites and eat slowly.

That's a lot for now.

Good Luck!!

When I am considering a candidate: my division is very small, so whoever I hire needs to fit in well with our small group. After all, we spend a great portion of our awake hours with each other. It's my boss, me, and our intern. We have other co-workers in different divisions, but the three of us spend a lot of time together. When I had other people in the group, then the four-five of us spend a lot of time together - at the office, on numerous business trip.

That being said, if someone is a really fussy eater, it makes it tedious. Food allergies (like, real celiac disease) are one thing, but high maintenance eaters are often high-maintenance co-workers. I once interviewed an engineer who spent part of the meal picking out the tiny bits of carrot that were in the stir-fry rice. OK, so I don't particular love cooked carrots, but I'd man up and eat them in an interview situation. She was hired, but that trait carried over into a lot of things.

In a big organization, that's likely less of an issue.

I can so very well answer this question - u know why? Because I am one of the most 'rudimentary' guy when it comes to eating out.

I eat the same cuisine over and over again when I am at home. In fact many a times, I would carry food from home when I travel overnight for business (I can't believe I am stating this so publicly).

Although business trips are paid for, I just enjoy home food so much more that I do not care about 'free food'.

Also what I eat at home is so very consistent - I would probably eat just 2-4 different things over and over again through out the year (and that too of a particular cuisine).

Having said that, here is the shocker - I interact a lot with senior business and Government officials over social gatherings/ meals.

One good thing in my favor - I can drink like a fish, so I make up there for my 'eating skills'

But if it is a sit down dinner, then I would look for something that I 'understand' and can eat with elegance - without creating too much mess in the plate or on the table.

I would never order something unknown if I have a choice to order something familiar.

Chicken dishes and soups have never let me down (sometimes that means coming back home and eating again though lol).

A light meal, such as salad is a good idea.

Avoid

• foods that spill easily, such as soups.
• messy foods, such as some Ethiopian dishes.
• foods that you don't know how to eat,such as long spaghetti.
• foods that you have not had before.
• spicy foods, such as Indian and Thai, unless you know them well, especially if you have allergic reactions or get hiccups.

Some vegetarians are not entirely comfortable seeing steak tartar. Followers of several religions may be uncomfortable seeing beef or pork. Some religions prohibit the use of stimulants, such as alcohol, coffee and tea. You don't want to invite a Mormon to a coffee shop, although nothing terrible will happen if you do.

If a job is like going steady, then an interview is like that first date. What interviewers appreciate the most is for you to be yourself. So order whatever you want.

But if you need a guideline:
1. If they order beers: 1-2 beers max
2. If they order wine: 1 glass max
3. If there is alcohol involved: Always order a glass of water
4. Don't get the most expensive item on the list.
5. Don't get the cheapest item on the list.
6. Don't get something that will either require you to lick your fingers or wear a bib.
7. Stay away from carbonated drinks as much as you can. You don't want to be holding back burps all night.

And remember that even though they are interviewing you, you should be interviewing them too. You are going to be giving them a huge chunk of your life, so you better make sure you actually want to work there.

Ok the answers here are so diverse in cuisines and tastes nevertheless they are mouthwatering,since you did not mention your Ethnicity or availability of the cuisine and the region you are residing I try to give you a generalized answer
Being taken out on a job interview is actually wonderful.
1.Try to eat something that doesn't make you dull(oily dishes and deep fried items)
2. Do not take in lot of spicy dishes(look out for number of chillies on the item name)
3. Your choice of cuisine will tell a lot about you,so if you are confident of the requirements of the job go according to,like if the job need you to be a vibrant person go for a variety(Keep watch on the first burp from your stomach) or if it needs you to be concentrated and requires you to be patient rather order a bland meal
4. Don't look nervous(or try to hide it don't desperately try to overcome it) and eat hurriedly
5. Do not waste any food,being said that it is not that you have to eat whatever you have ordered,just be aware of whatever is on your table and think before ordering the next item
6. As said before it is a wonderful opportunity be happy,jovial and let your thoughts flow to the interviewer believe me a talk over the dining table is the best to get things out of your heart

One of the best bits of advice I ever got for interviews was "interview the interviewer" i.e, get them talking about their job, the organization, etc. It takes the spotlight off you and gives you some space to take in information, rather than just giving it out. So I'd apply that here. While perusing the menu say something along the lines of "I've never eaten here, do they have a specialty/what do you usually order?" and hope they mention a few dishes, then pick something appealing and in a mid-price range. Or, if you have eaten there say "I came here once before and got X. What have you ordered before?" Likely the interviewer chose this restaurant because they like something about it, and so use it to your advantage to start a conversation that gets them talking about what they like. However, be careful not to look too helpless, and don't automatically order the first thing they suggest, which may look like you are trying too hard to please them, rather than thinking for yourself.

It wasn't an interview, but a boss once took me out to lunch on the first day, and I was a bit nervous and tried this, and it worked well to set the tone -- however it also helped that when we got talking, we realized we shared a lot of the same taste and philosophy on food. We actually ended up splitting 2 dishes that first day, and developed a great relationship.

I would like to add in here to be aware of your level of anxiety ahead of time.
If you know you are going to be very nervous, don't order soup or rice - if your hand is shaking, that's not good when eating.

And while I wouldn't think finger-food (chicken wings, ribs, etc...) are great during an interview lunch, I have found that sandwiches are quite okay when it comes to a lunch interview.
In my case, a tuna melt sandwich hit the spot for me, with a side of potato salad.
If the interviewer is vegan, the obvious initial thoughts would be to try something vegan instead.
But that would be wrong.
Be yourself, be your own person, eat what you like, in a respectable way, and get the job based on your knowledge and experience, rather than your dining style.
IOW - don't look for that nice, safe choice - find a way to be different in a professional kind of way.

Safe choice? My friend, safe is the new "risky" haha

Be confident and be yourself. The food you order is not as important as how you treat the staff.

Smile and say thank you to the busboy when they pour water or bring bread. This shows you will respect your colleagues, even the little people in your company.

Listen to the specials when the waiter gives them. Shows you are not timid to direct your attention away from your interviewer.

Since you are the guest, your host will ask you to order first so order two courses. This will help avoid the "oh, if you're having two courses then I'll get something too" situation. Now you look like a follower and not a leader.

A small salad or soup to begin with and get a main course that you normally enjoy or order the special of the day. Or better yet, order something you've always wanted to try and mention that when you order. "Oh a Cobb salad, I've always wanted to try that but I rarely see it anywhere" Doing this will show you are open to trying new things.

Order a coffee or tea after the meal if you feel the interview is going well and the conservation is flowing. This will give you the opportunity to ask more questions about the position and when you have no further questions the interviewer can ask for the check.

Always let them pay for lunch.

Hope this helps!

Chicken schnitzel. It's not too expensive, the price is fairly similar at different venues and it's hard for the restaurant to get it wrong. If you criticise the food, your associates might not be gourmets and think you're complaining about nothing. Likewise, if your food looks unappealing and you don't want to complain, it might be interpreted that you are a yes-man and that you have no taste or that you're too afraid of conflict.

If you order something fancy, your associates might think you're a ponce.

If your associates are ordering alcohol, you should order some too. Besides the regular black-sheep stigma that comes with refusing to participate in a group activity, abstaining in this situation could easily be interpreted like you're trying to game the system or that you're trying to keep up a persona and not slip from it by taking some truth serum.

If you really don't want to drink, at least order lemon, lime & bitters.

Chicken schnitzel is not messy to eat and since there is plenty of cutting, you can organise for a mouthful of food to be the right timing to last only until your interviewer stops talking − if you had ordered steak, you'd have to chew for longer. Sushi can be problematic when it's a bit big for one mouthful, but it would fall apart if you tried to go for two.

There are many meals that would be problematic since they're too messy (crabs, ribs, burgers); there's food hanging out of your mouth (lettuce, noodles or pasta); or there's the potential for it to be too spicy, making you sweat.

Try not to order the same thing as your interviewer unless there's some obvious reason, like it's on special. You don't want to be seen as a yes-man who can't think for yourself.

Ordering chicken avoids potential cultural problems surrounding eg pork and beef. In some Western places, people don't eat veal.

Once upon a time I remember reading a very sexist dating guide for women, which read "a lady orders from the middle of the menu". It appears to be good advice - not ordering anything too substantial or expensive, but not so as to appear too eager to please. Something messy is not a good idea, and you shouldn't order something that you don't expect to finish. Alcohol - never recommended, even if your host drinks.
And while some may say that it's not a good idea to order something that is eaten with one's hands, that choice depends on the location. Some interview meals are very informal, often at the closest or most convenient place near the place of work - could be the local "greasy spoon" where employees go every Friday - so a burger would not be out of the ordinary.
And pay no attention to the urban legend that if you season your food before you try it, you will definitely not get the job.

Interview over a meal:

I am an Indian and I would love to be interviewed over a meal because such a phenomenon doesn't exist in Indian Corporate - not even heard of anyone who has been interviewed in such a fashion in India.
Although this whole 'interview over a meal' thing might actually prove to be a bit more dicey than the usual process. You will have to take care of whole lot of other factors as well - What should I order; how much should I order; how fast or slow should I eat; how should I concentrate on the food and the Interview equally ; et cetera; et cetera.

First things first- Food Selection - Let's get down to the process of selecting the food. If I were to choose the meal, I would go with something light such as Soup or Juice, coupled with some snacks or salads. The key to selecting the meal is that it should involve minimal chewing and cutlery movements so that you can pay equal attention to the food and at the same time interview as well.

Don't even think of ordering any alcoholic beverage.- This should look like a formal interview for a job, not a chill out with your friends. Even if you are offered a drink by the interviewer, politely say no to it. Remember that your future lies on how this interview shapes up. So, Don't screw up the chance for a mere free glass of beer. You can have your drinks later any time buddy.

Avoid Distractions- Stay calm and focused!!- Remember to stay calm and poised. Reduce the distractions and lay your focus on the interview only.

Best of Luck, am sure you will do good!!

A good interviewer won’t care and he or she will focus on what’s important: your talent. Having said that, there are probably some ground rules:

• Don’t risk it and have something that you would normally have. You know your body and what goes “down” well so choose something you’re comfortable with and that won’t be cause you any gastrointestinal distress during or after the meal.
• Don’t get anything too expensive or showy. You don’t want to be seen to be taking advantage of the situation.
• I’m not usually one to think about boring manners and rules, but probably chewing with your mouth close would be a good idea.
• Offer to pay for the meal! Yes, really! Even if the interviewer explicitly informs you that the expense is on him/her, just give it a try. Get out your credit card and say you will get the bill. I think that would make a great impression on anyone.
• Be nice to the waiter/waitress and restaurant staff. This is not a meal test, it’s a character test. So every little detail counts. What you order really isn’t going to make it or break it for you, but wether you say thanks or not to the busboy who picks up your empty plate might.

This is an informal interview but an interview still. Pick lite food always but I would say avoid sauces that splash, pasta, soup and... salad unless they are deconstructed - you don't want to be juggling lettuce whilst answering questions. Filleting a fish off the bone is probably to be avoided too unless you are really good at it as picking bones out of your mouth isn't engaging and the resultant plate will look like a massacre. Simple and plain is best. They aren;t there to access your table manners so don;t throw them into the mix.

Of course avoid alcohol completely and even consider eating beforehand so that the food becomes a garnish to the conversation and not your focus. Slow down on the water and bread too. Water because it causes reflex under tension.

I just order my favorite dish, which happens to be grilled fish or chicken with iced tea when having lunch with clients or business partners. Grilled food usually doesn't cause problems and tends to be mid-priced.

I strongly dislike salads and soups! :)

Whether or not they order a dessert, I love my desserts. If there is nothing I consider edible in that restaurant, which has happened on many occasions, their desserts are all I would order. There is nothing quite like a yummy Tiramisu.

Source: Tiramisu, Santiago

My problem at business dinners is forgetting to eat my food when in a conversation. I need more practice. ;)

Your interviewer will notice how you interact with restaurant staff. If you are a picky eater like me, be very respectful when explaining how you want your food made. Think of them as you would of your co-workers in a dream company.

These are all good answers. There's a study that shows in japan ppl tend to order what their boss orders but in the us ppl tend to order different dishes (if one person ordered the ravioli then the next would get papradelle even if they were originally going to get the ravioli). The overal satisfaction of the meal was optimized in both groups when ppl ordered blind (without knowing what anyone else ordered). So, you should try to get what you want if you want to enjoy it.

I think that study was referenced in "Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel khanmen ...will find the exact reference and edit in the details!